kayakkrazzy

A couple of years back, I purchased a Pelican Viper Sit on top Kayak. I did lots of research prior to making the purchase.
I decided on the wider Beam, for a more stable platform. It handles well, hardly no effort..few strokes of the paddle, and its streaking through the water. Also with a few bungy cords I can carry all my gear..Plus more.
Last summer I purchased some rip stop nylon from the hobby shop. This is some nice material, and expensive stuff. After researching different types of sails I found that a hybrid Batwing style would work well on the Kayak.
I then bought one of those handy hand held sewing machines, and went to work....My Sail turned out great. Its 10 feet Tall, and catches the wind well.
Yes, I did have to construct a sail mount, and also a rudder system. I built several rudders, and used foot controls mounted within my sail mount.
My sail is constructed for forward vision.

My first run was on a very windy day, about 20 MPH gust or more. When the sail filled with air the Kayak leaned for a few seconds, then in a blink of an eye it smoothed out, and before I knew it I was on the other side of the lake.
My sail works well up or down wind, it just takes practice up wind. The sail comes down quick, and can be stored on the Kayak, while underway.


This year I am converting a homelite weedeater engine. I have shortened the shaft, and added a 35 degree directional gear. I purchase my prop at walmart, they sell trolling motor props. I Like the homelite engine, it will crank on the 1st pull. I built everything, for ease of use, like mouting or dismounting, sail or motor. With the motor mounted, I will have to register my kayak with Texas Parks, and Wildlife, to even test it out.
The homelite is a 25cc engine about 1 horse power. Its not as loud as I originally thought I could also add a quiet exuast system, if needed.
The motor will tilt easy,for launching or beaching the kayak.
My motor , and mount is ready. Keep in mind that trimmer engines are used on RC planes boats, and cars. Conversions are available.

I am new on the forum, if it allows I will add some pictures later.

Turn Key

Welcome aboard and I didn't know that!

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Unregistered

I recently thought of attaching a weed eater motor to my Kayak. The funny thing is that I bought a homelite weed eater just for that purpose. Please email me any info you have it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Steven Burke
shbcheff@yahoo.com

bigredfish

bigredfish

I enjoyed your post about adding a sail and engine to your kayal. Please contact me to discuss in greater detail.

Thanks.

Greg Berlocher
Kayaking Editor
Texas Fish & Game magazine
kayking@fishgame.com

Electric Water Boy

I have a friend who has a sail on his yak. I know a few people with trolling motors on theirs. Mine has the ability to add one, but I doubt I ever will.

Just in case you didn't know, there are laws about saild and motors on kayaks. If you put a motor, even a trolling motor on a kayak, it has to be registered. If it is 14' or more and you put a sail on it, it has to be registered.

Retro51

I was very interested in this post, but saw that it was old, as were most of the responses. I would like to hear from the original poster, since I want to build a sail rig also. I am buying a Pelican kayak and have plans to build one myself (ClarkCraft Lark 8 plans, plus plans for a skin-on-frame canvas -CanvasBack kayak). I plan to use my kayak on a lake only -no whitewater - although I did take a kayak trip on the Colorado River last year, which was fun. I will probably try to add the sail rig to the home-built one, since it's hard to add anything like a rudder to a plastic kayak.
Some plans come with sail plans - the Lark 8 doesn't, but I chose it for other reasons. One, it looks easy to build and only requires 2-1/2 sheets of plywood plus misc pieces and hardware, so can't be too expensive. Also, it gives you the option of paddling with a double-ended kayak paddle, which is very comfortable, or adding outriggers for conventional, scull-type rowing. If I build it, I think it would be easy to build a sail rig for. If I build the CanvasBack, I know these have been converted to sailing - I have several pictures of such rigs.
I do have some pictures and info on building sail rigs but have several questions. Mostly, regarding the sail mount and rudder. I don't want a foot control rudder, so I think I can construct a hinged mount with a hinged handle. I've seen the sail mounted through a panel or board laid across the cockpit - you have to have leeboards anyway, so you can mount them on the outer edges. For sailing, you need a sail, leeboards and rudder to convert the forces from winds across the boat, into forward motion. That's about as much as I know about it, but there are library books (Sailing for Dummies) that explain it. So I can make a mast and mount it through the panel that holds the leeboards, but how do you mount the bottom of the mast to the bottom of the boat?
If anyone else has converted a kayak (or canoe) to sail and tried it out, I would like to hear about it.

Turn Key

Hi "Retro" and welcome aboard! I hope we can help but I would not expect an answer from "kayakkrazzy". As you said, this is a very old thread and it looks like he/she has left the group since that time. None the less, there is a fair chance that one of our other members may be able to help you. Lets just see who chimes in over the next day or two. Again, welcome aboard and,

Happy Camping!

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Retro51

Ah, thanks, hopefully someone will have more information. I've also found there may be an inspection fee for homemade boats (even though they don't have to be registered). I guess that is to keep dangerous junk off the waters. First I am buying a fibreglas one - the home-built would be a fall/winter project, if I get to it.

Retro51

I just bought a 10-ft Pelican Pursuit from Academy Sports - I got the last one that the Bryant Irvin store (Fort Worth) had, for $229. This seemed to be a good price - they are listed for at least $100 more other places.

I took it out on Benbrook today - spent a little over 3 hours. I followed the shoreline from Holiday Park over to Mustang Park, beaching at least 3 times to walk around different parts of the park. This was just the maiden voyage, but next time, I'll pack a lunch and spend more time exploring some of the distant areas. One more thing I learned - I need to pack a good camera - there were some great shots of waterfowl - I especially like it when they perch on a stump sticking out of the water - and I swear there were two eagles in flight over one of the beaches. Some great nature shots to be had. One of the coves had some fish jumping - I don't have a license, but I may try fishing from the Kayak too. Besides getting a license and trying some fishing, the other thing I learned is to go earlier. I was on the water by 9 AM, but next time I'll try to be on the water by 7 AM, just because it is so much cooler. I'm not a sun-lover. Finally, I crossed the lake back to my starting point. The little Pelican (why do they name boats after birds? - I've seen Lark, Osprey, Pelican? Birds FLY, boats don't) mostly performed well. It was choppy due to some wind. Comparing with river running (I took an overnight trip on the Colorado around Columbus, Texas last year), her's my conclusion: River - you have current, which you don't want to fight very long. Lakes, you have waves, which are not that much fun either. I did find that it seemed to turn abeam (broadside) into the waves if I let it drift - don't understand that. Possibly because it has no keel. Makes me want to add leeboards (part of a sail-rig) to see if it tracks better.

I had a spray cover with me, and since the wind was at my back, I tried holding it up as a sail to cross the lake. For some reason, the boat didn't go with the waves, but went at an angle. Of course, I had no leeboard or centerboard, and no rudder - so that was part of the problem. (See comment about adding a leeboard in first paragraph). I did go about half way across the lake that way - whether propelled by wind or just drifting, I can't say for sure. I still plan to try to make a sail rig, although I will have to figure out a way to attach a rudder. I'm thinking I may try to fibreglass a wood block, at the stern - drilled to hold a 1/2 in rod vertically, and then put two L-angles on the edge of the rudder, and run the rod through them. Attach a hinged tiller that I can reach from the cockpit, voila - a rudder. Instead of hinging it (so you can beach the craft), I may make it boot-shaped, with an elongated lower part, so it still has plenty of water contact, without going much deeper than the draft of the boat. And of course, it would be removable by pulling the pin.

The home-built looks to be a later project, but for now I can at least try out some of the lakes around here, and satisfy my paddling fever.

Retro51

Update on my Kayak: I converted it to a sailing Kayak. I had to add a mast and sail (of course), but also leebboards and a rudder. The rudder was hardest - I had to try three different attachment methods before I got one that worked. The sail was made from a drop cloth.

Ond of the best things I did was to add outriggers I made from ABS pipe. They are about 5 feet long and about 5 feet from each side. I can actually sit on the edge of the Kayak, or even jump off and climb back in. For sailing, they are a necessity, because it heels badly under wind otherwise.

I've had about 20 hours sailing on Lake Granbury, where I now live. It does real well under light conditions. It's scary if it gets too windy, but that's OK. I mainly wanted to try sailing and learn what I could, so it's working for that.